Gas diffuser



Patented luly 17, 1928..

UNITED STATES ERNEST J'. SWEETLAND, MONTCLAIB,'NEW JERSEY.

eas prrr-USER.

Application led December 19, 1919. Serial No. 349,148.

subject matter to my copending application,

119,747, filed September 12th, 1916, and lrc-I 'lates in general to apparatus designed to break up gases, such asair, into minute bubbles, which are useful in connection with many processes, suchra's the activation of sewa e, aeration of liquids, ore separation by otation, and in connection with gas i scrubbers.

More particularly the invention relates to improved apparatus for producing minute' lbubbles of gas in a liquid by means of a porous substance, the pores of which produce l small passages for conveying an infinite number of minute columns of a gas from the gas supply to a liq uid. The objects of invention are to utilize a plurality of porous blocks in a gas difusin apparatus for the 90 purposes above describe to provide means for supporting said porous blocks between a gas lsupply and the liquid to be treated with the gas; to provide producing a close and compact` arrangement of the porous blocks, whereby the available space 1s most advantageously utilized in the diffusion of ,the gas; to secure a construction comprising interchangeable porous blocks, whereby one or more of the same can be easily and quickly replaced when necessary without disturbing the other blocks; to obtain a novel construction of porous block ,which can be easil handled -and placed in position; to provi e a porous block of the character described which is substantially waterproof and which .will not deteriorate, or the pores of which will not become clo ged; to secure an antiseptic porous block which will act on the gas to purify the same and the liquid passed; and to sults as may be ing description eferring to 'the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts vthroughout the several views, Figure 1 is a plan viewrof a gas diiuser embodying one form of my invention Figure 2 is 'a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the sameA on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is 'a view similar to Figure 4 obtain other lobjects and rebrought out by theollownovel means for through which the gas is' showing 'a further modification of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of one arrangement of the blocks, such as is shown 1n Figures 1.to 5 inclusive, indicating tho substantially uniform distribution' of gas tfliffusing blocks over the entire available surace.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 designates a base or supporting frame, said frame being provided with a peripheral upstanding flange 2. To this 'flangeis secured a relatively thin metal plate 4, provided with a plurality of perforations 5. These perforations may be tapered or frusto-conical in form, the outside diameter being slightly smaller than the inside diameter. Into each of these perforations is forced a correspondingly frusta-conical tapered-porous block or plug 3 and the unit thus formed is secured to the upstanding fiange 2 by means 'of bolts 6 along two sides and a grid consisting of side Hanges 7 and 8 and cross bars 9, the grid being secured to the base by means of the stud bolts 10 passing through the flanges 7 and 8. .Suitable gaskets 11 are provided for ensuring an airtight joint between the plate 4 and the flange 2. Each of the grid bars 9 is provided with a plurality of depending pins 12 adapted to engage the surface of the plate 4 between the blocks 3 and thereby to support the plate against distortion in a direction away from the base 1. .Compressed air or other gas under pressure is admitted to the space 13 between the base 1 and the blocks through any suitable openings such as the pipe 14. It will be observed that the pressurel of the air only forces the plugs more tightly into their respective holes. In order to insert as many plugs as possible in the plate 4 without unduly weakening it, the plugs are preferably arranged in staggered relation as indicated in Figure 1. .100

ln the operation of the device, the frame 1 with the porous blocks assembled as above described is submerged in the liquid to be treated in a suitable tank or receptaclessuch as shown in my before-mentioned copending application. Compressed air or other gas is admitted to the space 13,`and there being no other outlet for the gas, the same will be forced through the pores of the blocks 3, producing innumerable minute bubbles in the li uid.l The-blocks 3 may sultable porous material, but preferably be formed of any they are composed of a vegetable medium,

such as wood cut cross-wise of the grain so. that when the blocks are arranged in thevgas pressure or by.varying the distance between the air passage and the surface of the block. The bubbles slowly rise to the surface of the liquid and can be utilized' for variousspurposes, such-as for ore flotation, gas scrubbing, activation of sewage, and similar processes.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate another method of supporting the porous blocks. In this form of the invention a metallic frame or base 15 is provided with an integral top plate 16 spaced from the bottom of the frame to provide a gas space 17 into which `gas under ressure is admitted through a suitable inet 18. The top plate 16 is formed with a plurality of screw-threaded openings 19 arranged in a staggered relation as above described, to closely Amount the blocks and utilizeall available space for gas diffusion. A correspondingly threaded cylindrical porous block 20 is screwed into each of the" openings 19 with its pores arranged vertically as described in connection with the y construction shown by Figures 1 and 2. The

operation of this form of the invention is substantially identical with that above described, the compressed gas escaping through the pores of the blocks to produce bubbles in `the liquid being treated.

A further modification of the invention is shown by Figure 5, in which the base or frame 21' is substantially identical with the frame 15 eXce t that theopenings 22 in the top plate23 t ereof arenot screw-threaded. The openings 22 are circular in shape and have straight smooth Walls 24, which are at y right angles with respect to the surface .of

the plate ,23.` In the construction shown lby Figure 2, the blocks have tapering sides and are held in the openings in the supporting plate by a wedging fit, The construction shown by Figure 5, however, is designed to utilize the swelling of/the wood blocks for holding the blocks in the oenings22. 'The blocks 25 are thus forme with straight smooth sides and are driven into the openings 22 in the top plate 23. As the liquid over the blocks 25 soaks into the same, the blocks will swell so as to expand tightly against the walls of kthe openings 23 and securely hold the blocks in position.

- In Figure 6 of the drawings, an arrange-F ment of the blocks is diagrammatically il'- described wherever they m pores clogged. One ,method of accomplish-y ing this result is to coat the block with shellac or the like, and force air through the pores of the block until the coating isdry,

whereby the shellac is revented from clogging the pores. The locks may also be treated with' linseed oil, or creosote, or impregnated with other preservative substances in a similarfmanner, so that the life f of the blocks is greatly prolonged, and their production of bubbles rendered more elli-y cient.

It is desirable in many instances to combine a chemical action with the treatment of liquid by the gas, and for this purpose the crous blocks are treated or impregmated) with the desired chemical whereby the gas and liquid are acted upon thereby. For instance, when an antiseptlc process 1s desired, the blocks are saturated or otherwise treated with an antiseptic substance which will act uon the gas passing through the pores of the locks and upon the li uid.

f In addition to providing a simple an compact support and arrangement of the porous blocks, it will be observed that all of the above described constructions. are ortable so as to be capable of being .use interchangeably in a number of tanks. Furthermore, the blocks are easily and quickly replaceable, are easy to transport and store, and embody the simplest and most reliable of constructions, all of which features are necessar in processes of the character with which t e present invention is intended to be used i l Obviously, many detail modiications and changes can be made in the construction of my invention without departing'from lthe spirit and scope of the invention and I do not desire to 'be limitedexcept as required by the following claims when `construed in the light of the prior art. Furthermore, porous blocks when lmade of porous stone may be held in position in other suitable ways, such for instance by the use of cement or by a rin gasket made of paper, rubber or other suita le material and I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited in this respect. Also it is within the purview of my invention to use,the principles above be found a a plicablen or useful vand I -Wisii' to specical y with, but unobstructed by a preserving subl stance.

point out the utility of the invention in connection with the art of filtration. Consequently, where I have used the term gas diffusing unit in the appended claims, I do not wish to be limited thereto as l desire to also include a filter unit when the invention is applied to this latter use.

Having thus described my invention'what I claim as new herein and desire to secure .by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas diffusingl rous block having t e pores thereof treated 2.- A gas diiusing unit comprising a porous block having the pores thereof lined with, but unobstructedfby shellac.`

3. A gas diffusing unit comprising a pounit comprising a poterior surfaces covered with a preserving rous block having the exposed ends. and insubstance, adapted to leave the pores of said block unobstructed.

4. A gas diffusing unit comprising a porous block impregnated and externally and internally lined with a. preserving substance,

- adapted to leave the pores of said block un- ERNEST J. MSWEETLAND. 

